Is The Major Break In Washington State Unidentified Deaths Here?
There an estimated 163 sets of unidentified remains in Washington State. That's 163 unsolved deaths, 163 families that do not have closure, potentially 163 crimes going unpunished. Those numbers may soon be changing.
Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced on Monday that the State Legislature approved $500,000 for DNA testing and genetic genealogy for each set of unidentified remains to help clear the testing backlog.
Genetic Genealogy is responsible for solving over 600 crimes. While the identification of remains does not guarantee a crime has been committed or that a crime has been solved, it does bring closure to the family and loved ones of each person.
The 2024 supplemental budget provides the funds to the Washington State Patrol.. They, in turn, will provide assistance to local jurisdictions for testing of all unidentified remains. If DNA testing fails to provide an identification, more funds will pay for forensic genetic genealogy.
DNA testing of individual remains costs approximately $2,500 and forensic genetic genealogy costs approximately $8,000. This cost tends to be the biggest barrier for law enforcement agencies after in house investigation methods do not provide a positive id.
The funds will not only be used to identify remains in all 39 Counties, but also to help identify remains in tribal communities around the State. Ferguson submitted the funding request along with the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and People Task Force created in 2021.
Hopefully this brings long awaited closure to the families of those 163 unidentified people in Washington State.
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